Indonesia destroys $1.3M of illegal imports, cracks down on underground economy

Jakarta, Indonesia — Cellphones, electric pots and pans, and car washing machines were among goods worth $1.3 million destroyed Monday by the Indonesian Trade Ministry in West Java. Alcoholic drinks with an ethyl alcohol or ethanol content ranging from 5% to 20% were also destroyed. The ministry demolished the goods as part of the government’s crackdown on illegal imports, a major issue that experts say stems from Indonesia’s unpreparedness for the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement signed 15 years ago.